The Third Act – Do you have a plan?

Dr Ed Kelly will be a guest speaker with us in BDO on the 5th October.

For those of you who are interested in the subject I think it is critical that we plan for our Third Act. (see http://www.thethirdact.ie/)

A few thoughts from my own view of the world in advance of the talk;

Glass ceilings at senior level

I am coming across people who have risen to very senior levels in organisations but are running out of career progression options. This is as a result of the level of seniority that they have achieved and maybe also they want to reduce the amount of time spent travelling internationally.

Why would you take on a role that you could have done 10 years ago and why would a company hire you to fill such a role? But how do you progress if there are no opportunities?

The jobs market is not providing solutions to these issues so it will be up to the individual to be proactive and creative in generating suitable work opportunities.

Different perspectives on retirement.

Many people are looking at a compulsory retirement date at 60 or 65.

To some it is longing for the day to come like getting out of gaol while others are just coming into their own and are hungry to continue to progress their careers and take on great new adventures and challenges. Either way it is important to have a plan.

Directorships?

The idea that you might take on a number of non- executive director roles may be a good option but there are limited opportunities in this country to join boards and the rewards are often not proportionate to the time required and the risks and responsibilities involved.

Money will most likely be a motivator particularly if you have dependants who will be on the payroll for a while.

Health clearly is always an important influence.

Personally the critical thing is the drive, purpose, motivation that to have a fulfilling existence into the future.

I can say from my experience very few people have given this any serious thought but most people believe it is important.